Come tour the M/V Mike Weisend!
(Story by Jennifer Mason)
Mike Weisend (right), manager of safety and health for AEP River Operations, stands across from his namesake, the M/V Mike Weisend towboat. The vessel will be on display at two upcoming river festivals in West Virginia and Ohio.
Ever wonder how it would feel to sit high above the river in a real captain’s chair? Or what life might be like as a cook on a working towboat? Well now you have two opportunities to find out.The M/V Mike Weisend will be open for public tours July 27 and Aug. 3 at two different events. The towboat’s crew will be stationed around the boat to answer questions as visitors walk from the engine room to the galley, through the living quarters and up to the wheelhouse.
The M/V Mike Weisend was built in 2011 by Gulf Island Shipyard in Houma, La. The vessel is powered by two EMD Tier II turbo-charged marine diesel engines, each rated at 3,000 horsepower. It has two five-bladed stainless propellers, each nine feet in diameter. The vessel’s fuel capacity is 76,000 gallons, potable water is 19,000 gallons and it can tow up to 30 jumbo barges. The vessel carries nine crew members.
Saturday, July 27 — Huntington Waterways Expo – Huntington, W.Va.
4-8 p.m. — Public towboat tours at Harris Riverfront Park Amphitheater
The 2013 edition of the Huntington Classic powerboat championships is pleased to present the Huntington Waterways Expo to those attending the weekend race events. Companies, organizations and individuals representing all facets of the river industry will be located under a large tent near the entrance to Harris Riverfront Park to educate visitors about the many opportunities available on the Ohio River.
The FREE interactive displays will include career education and recruitment booths from several maritime-related companies, an educational display provided by RiverWorks Discovery, as well as educational information about several government entities, including the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. See how an actual Ohio River lock and dam works by operating a miniature display model of a lock and dam, or see a real U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat up close and personal.
http://www.huntingtonclassic.com/
Saturday, Aug. 3 — Inland Waterways Festival — Marietta, Ohio
9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. — Public towboat tours by Lafayette Hotel
The Inland Waterways Festival is a FREE, educational event with performers, storytellers, music, hands-on activities, model boat demonstrations, whistle blows, steam launch rides, wildlife displays featuring raptors and owls, and a 2,200-gallon freshwater aquarium. The purpose of the Inland Waterways Festival is to commemorate the heritage and continuing importance of America’s rivers, canals and lakes in the development of the nation. The goal is to educate the public about how the country’s waterways are a viable means of transportation for commerce and culture and are still heavily relied upon today.
AEP Retirees & Alumni 